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Finnish Center For Integrity In Sports partners with Sportradar Integrity Services

Published

4 years ago

September 7, 2022

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Sportradar Integrity Services, a unit of Sportradar and a global supplier of sport integrity solutions and partner to over 150 sports federations and leagues, has entered an agreement with the Finnish Center For Integrity In Sports (FINCIS) to monitor Finnish domestic sporting competitions, commencing from September 2022. This extends Sportradar’s integrity partnerships portfolio with state authorities and national platform bodies, which includes organisations such as the Swedish gambling authority (Spelinspektionen) and the Estonian Centre for Integrity in Sports (ESTCIS).

Under the terms of the multi-year agreement, Sportradar Integrity Services will provide bet monitoring and reporting for a multitude of sports using its Universal Fraud Detection System (UFDS). Approximately 5,000 fixtures will be monitored across domestic Finnish sport, including bandy, basketball, floorball, futsal, handball, ice hockey, MMA, pesapallo, soccer, and volleyball.

The UFDS is an advanced and proven bet monitoring system that has been independently assessed and verified by recognized experts in the field of sports betting and integrity. Betting patterns are analysed for abnormalities by a global team of qualified integrity experts, and any suspicious matches are subsequently reported to partners, allowing critical visibility into worldwide match-fixing. Sportradar Integrity Services have detected over 7,300 suspicious matches during the past 17 years with more than 600 of these taking place in 2022 alone. The Integrity Services business is a core piece of Sportradar’s larger business portfolio, which includes providing data and technology to media companies, betting operators and federations, and reflects the company’s belief that sports must be played on a level playing field.

Chief Investigative Officer Jouko Ikonen said: “Everyone has the right to fair play and fighting against competition manipulation is one of FINCIS’s main tasks. The Sportradar collaboration brings us a significant additional advantage, namely betting on men’s, women’s, and youth matches and competitions are monitored with UFDS. Sportradar has a proven track record in the sports integrity industry, and their expert bet monitoring capabilities will play a crucial role in helping to protect the integrity of Finnish sport in the years ahead.”

Sportradar Integrity Services Managing Director Andreas Krannich added: “We are delighted to be joining forces with FINCIS to play our part in helping to protect the integrity of sports in Finland. At Sportradar, we have identified growing integrity threats across a variety of sports in recent years, with the global financial situation likely to increase the risks facing many sports. As such, to sign another key partnership with a national platform in Europe, in line with the framework of the Council of Europe’s Macolin Convention, is something we take great pride in. We look forward to supporting FINCIS’ integrity programme in the coming years”.

Alona Shevtsova

Sends CEO Alona Shevtsova moderates Global Gaming Expansion panel in Riyadh

Published

4 hours ago

June 25, 2026

Wladimir P.

sends-ceo-alona-shevtsova-moderates-global-gaming-expansion-panel-in-riyadh

Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends, will moderate a panel at The Blockchain show on 29^th June, bringing together experts from entertainment, location-based gaming, and content localisation to examine what it takes to build sustainable gaming ecosystems across emerging markets.

The panel, titled “Global Gaming Expansion: Lessons from Untapped Markets,” will structure its discussion across four themes: the growth dynamics reshaping emerging gaming markets; the role of localisation in creating experiences that genuinely connect with new audiences; the infrastructure and communities needed to build gaming ecosystems beyond the game itself; and the lessons and opportunities that will define successful expansion in the years ahead.

Alona Shevtsova plans to frame the discussion around the central challenge for companies looking to expand globally: entering a new market requires far more than bringing an existing product to a new audience. Understanding local cultures, building communities, adapting experiences, and creating ecosystems that allow gaming to grow sustainably are all as important as the product itself.

Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends, said:

“The future growth of gaming will come not only from new technologies, but from understanding people — their cultures, communities, and the experiences they want to be part of. Successful expansion will belong to those who can combine global ambition with local understanding.”

The first segment will examine why regions including the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia are becoming increasingly significant for developers, operators, and investors — driven by young audiences, accelerating digital adoption, and new entertainment models creating substantial growth potential. Panellists will explore how consumer preferences differ across markets and what trends among younger audiences are shaping the future of gaming and entertainment.

The third segment will broaden the lens beyond the game itself, exploring the role of location-based entertainment, gaming centres, esports, and experiential destinations in attracting new audiences and building long-term communities. Panellists plan to address how entertainment ecosystems — spanning physical venues, events, and community infrastructure — accelerate gaming adoption in markets where the category is still establishing itself.

Earlier this month, Alona Shevtsova was shortlisted for the 2026 Great British Entrepreneur Awards in the Established Business of the Year category. Her team is also preparing for the Fintech Connect conference in London later this year. Sends will be a leading sponsor of this event.

*Sends is a trade name of SMARTFLOW PAYMENTS LIMITED, registered in England and Wales (Company No.11070048). For more information, visit sends.co .

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